HORN BUTTONS 101 By Claudia Chalmers

(Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin) WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6, Issue 2

One of the redeeming features of the human race is its resourcefulness. The creativity of man is boundless; and where there is a will to create, the means to do so will be found.

This is the story of horn buttons in brief: as cows were butchered, the horns and hooves remained, but they did not go to waste. They were used to create any number of useful items, including buttons. Not only did the buttons come from humble waste material, but the waste was finished into buttons in a myriad of different ways. Many fine miniature works of art found their beginnings at the crown of a cow’s head or the bottom of its leg. Amazing!

Actually, many animal types contributed body parts to these buttons. Horn buttons actually include the horns and hooves of not just cattle, but also water buffalo and horses. Another source of keratin (the true name for the material) is tortoise shell.

The earliest located reference to horn buttons occurred in 1759 right here in America. Since then horn buttons have been made all over the world and continue to be made today. Most of the buttons shown in this article are from the mid to late 19th century. None of the modern horn buttons (made since 1980) are shown here—that’s an article all by itself. (There are wonderful horn buttons manufactured today!) When known, the buttons in this article will be dated.

Horn buttons can be divided into two main groups: processed and unprocessed horn.

Processing includes boiling, sawing, and flattening horn. It can then be molded, inlaid, embellished, dyed, painted, or another artistic finish, as I will try to illustrate in the next few pages.

In her 2006 book, Button Materials A-Z: Identification Guide, Jocelyn Howells pictures a group of “Molded Ground Horn” buttons that surprised many button collectors. Previously these buttons were thought to be composition. Mrs. Howell’s research and testing, however, reveals that the buttons are made of horn, ground into powder and mixed with adhesives. A hot needle test reveals results typical of horn buttons: the smell of burning hair or cooking meat. Because of this rather ground-breaking information, collectors should be warned to remove these buttons from their composition cards and make sure to have a least one example on their assorted horn cards for complete representation of processed horn.

Unprocessed horn can be carved, sliced, turned/lathed and/or polished. Most unprocessed horn buttons are utilitarian, but they can display a very wide variety of markings, colors, and shapes. Some of the most beautiful and rare unprocessed horn buttons are those that are hand carved.

The pictures on the next few pages will attempt to teach the uninitiated how to recognize horn button types. The best place to start, as with so many button types, is by careful examination of the button back. Many molded 19th century horn buttons have a “pick mark” left by the tool used to remove them from the mold. They may also have parallel splits and surface cracks caused by aging, although the better the button condition, the less these are evident.

One of my favorite tricks is to hold the button up to a light. Even dyed horn often proves to be somewhat translucent—one of my favorite things about horn.

Horn buttons have many “looks” and sometimes the only sure way to identify them is to use a hot needle in an inconspicuous spot, sniffing for the identifiable smell of burnt hair or cooking meat.

HORN BUTTONS 101 Page 2 By Claudia Chalmers WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6 Issue 2 (Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin)

Here, then, begins a journey through horn buttons. Enjoy the many faces of this amazing and versatile button material!

Some distinguishing horn button characteristics

Pick marks are an easily visible characteristic of many horn buttons (made by the tool used to remove molded

buttons from the mold).

Almost all horn buttons show evidence of translucence when

held up to a light. This varies by the button darkness and thickness.

This weathered condition is an extreme example of the parallel cracking typical on the fronts & backs of processed horn buttons.

Back Types

The backs of horn buttons have many different looks. Handling them, comparing them, and looking at them carefully will enable the new collector to begin to make accurate identifications.

HORN BUTTONS 101 Page 3 By Claudia Chalmers WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6 Issue 2 (Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin)

Unprocessed horn – from utilitarian to amazing “Buttons cut from the natural tips (solid portion) of cow horns, carved, sliced, turned/lathed, then polished. Because of the cross grain cut, the grain is always concentric rather than longitudinal” (NBS Classification, 2008).

Unprocessed horn disc with a pin shank. Highly polished.

Unprocessed horn whistle. Typical of many utilitarian unprocessed horn buttons.

Extra large unprocessed piece. Design is carved through a thin

layer of natural coloring.

Small, polished whistle button that is clearly taken from the

tip of the horn.

Carved, unprocessed horn. Large realistic of an animal

hoof. Rare.

Deluxe button of very thin, carved, natural horn, rimmed with brass, and embellished with five paste jewels.

Natural horn carved into a spaniel design with a glass embellishment for the eye. The back of the button shows concentric rings common on unprocessed horn buttons. Scarce.

Decorative Finishes “Includes dye, paint, metallic luster, and iridescent finish. Horn buttons finished with more colorful dyes such as blue, green and red are especially desirable. The color sometimes permeated the entire button, but was also applied to the surface only” (NBS Classification, 2008).

Blue dyed horn with painted

scene. Blue horn is quite rare. Medium.

Another rare blue horn, this one with a molded and

painted design. Medium.

Dish shaped two hole button with encrusted marine scene.

Medium.

Pearl inlaid in black dyed horn with paint decoration.

Small.

HORN BUTTONS 101 Page 4 By Claudia Chalmers WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6 Issue 2 (Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin)

Black dyed horn with imitation fabric molded design. Finished

with white paint. Medium.

Molded black dyed horn with metallic finish.

Medium.

Molded black dyed horn with tan paint finish. This is the

fable button “The Sun and the Frog” by Aesop. Medium.

Molded black dyed horn with paint decoration. Stag

and doe. Large.

Molded conventional design

with a bright fuchsia pearlized finish. Medium.

Red dyed horn with abstract paint finish.

Medium.

Red dyed horn whistle with gold luster filled incised design.

Small.

Decorative stencil paint finish on a black dyed horn.

Medium.

Dish shaped, two hole with an encrusted caterpillar. Medium.

Black horn button with unusual gunmetal colored

finish. Medium.

Red dyed horn with gold paint design. Medium.

Gold paint on realistic shoed horse hoof. Medium.

Metal shank.

Mechanical Make-up Assorted

“Construction techniques used to join two or more button components or to add embellishment while in a solid (cool) state. Includes gluing, pinning, riveting, screwing, inserting, etc. Does not include construction techniques that use heat.” (NBS Classification, 2008).

Ground molded horn with

abalone insets. Unusual blue color. Medium. Easily

mistaken for composition.

Unprocessed horn with a pearl inset. Seam is hidden by the

brass escutcheon which is riveted in place. Medium.

Black horn with grey composition inset. Medium.

Black molded horn with central pearl inset and steel cut

embellishment. Four hole sew-through. Large.

HORN BUTTONS 101 Page 5 By Claudia Chalmers WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6 Issue 2 (Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin)

Unprocessed horn with

attached pearl ring. Medium.

Molded red horn with pearl inset and silver luster finish.

Small.

Gorgeous deluxe button with glass inlay mounted on a

molded ground horn base. Medium.

Abalone strips inset in a dark horn base. Small.

Brass butterfly escutcheon on red dyed horn. Small.

Pearl star attached by pin shank to molded black horn button. Radiating line border. Large.

Cut steel star attached by pin shank. Quatrefoil design.

Large.

Lion’s head, rimmed with brass. Rimmed molded buttons

are not plentiful. Medium.

Other Material Embellishments

Pearl square attached by pin shank to molded black horn

button.

Impression inlaid brass and steel pieces. Small.

Wire mesh and pearl embellishments. Very

unusual. Medium.

Silver embellishment. Hunter with kill and hound.

Medium. Scarce.

Ornate brass rim

embellishment. Large. White metal embellishment. Impression inlay. Medium.

Ivoroid floral ring embellishment. Medium.

Steel rivets embellishment. Large.

HORN BUTTONS 101 Page 6 By Claudia Chalmers WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6 Issue 2 (Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin)

Molded Surface Designs - Dyed Black – Pictorials Black dyed buttons are among the most common 19th century horn button types. The variety of pictorial designs is virtually unlimited. Here is a sampling of common to very rare black horn buttons.

A single acorn with oak leaves

on a two-hole sew-through. Medium.

Hot air balloon. Transportation button. Medium.

Wooden barrel design. Small.

Bird returning to eggs in the nest. Unusual surface design.

Medium.

Ribbon tied in a bow.

Medium. Harrison and Van Buren

campaign button, circa 1840. Medium.

“The Camel Driver” or one of the versions of “Eliezer.”

Medium.

Architecture. Castle on a rock.

Large.

Boot with a spur.

Medium. “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Kitty reclines under a parasol, the hot sun above. Scarce. Medium.

Two cupids holding a mirror between them.

Medium.

Double crest: Talbot hound and bull. Earl’s coronet of rank.

Medium.

Demi-lion rampant, collared

between acorn branches. Medium.

The Leslie family crest. A demi-griffin rampant. Family motto on banner: “Grip Fast.”

Medium.

Cupid readies his bow. Large.

“Young Couple at the Spring”. Medium. Scarce.

HORN BUTTONS 101 Page 7 By Claudia Chalmers WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6 Issue 2 (Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin)

Canadian Uniform button. Royal Winnipeg Rifles,

nicknamed the Black Devils. Circa 1900. Medium.

Greyhound or whippet dog button. Interesting border

design. Large.

Spaniel with leash. Medium.

Egyptian. Probably a funerary mask.

Medium.

Fish and cattails.

Medium. Pastime. Fisherman on a river bank. Lady friend watching

from the opposite shore. Medium.

Insect. Fly surrounded by star design.

Medium.

Fop appears to be serenading with a rose offering. Recessed

embossed surface design. Small.

Fops.

Medium. Possible political button from

the Greenback Movement circa 1868-1888. Leap Frogs – one of three possible frog

designs. Scarce.

Young girl holding a dog. Medium. Scarce.

Bunch of grapes. Medium.

Classical head profile. Large. Great blue heron. Large Prancing horse. Medium. Horseshoe. Medium.

HORN BUTTONS 101 Page 8 By Claudia Chalmers WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6 Issue 2 (Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin)

Hunting equipment.

Medium. Portrait of Jenny Lind. Two hole

sew-through. Large. Key in central motif. Two hole

sew-through. Large. Lady bug in high relief.

Medium.

Horse chestnut leaf.

Large. Gentleman walking dogs.

Leafy border design. Medium.

Palm tree with ornate background and geometric

border. Small.

Oriental man with a fan. Large.

Owl perched on crescent moon. Deeply patterned

background. Medium.

Astronomical. Smiling crescent moon with floral background.

Self shank. Small.

Carrier pigeon with message around its neck. Smooth back-

ground. Rope border. Medium.

Carrier pigeon, same subject but textured back-ground.

No border. Medium.

Pin through ribbon.

Two hole sew-through. Large.

Portrait of Queen Victoria, possibly from her Diamond Jubilee celebration in 1897. Large. Scarce.

Equestrian. Lady riding sidesaddle. Large.

Zodiac symbol. Libra. Scales. Small.

HORN BUTTONS 101 Page 9 By Claudia Chalmers WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6 Issue 2 (Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin)

Russian Peasant Couple. Large. Rare.

Sheath of wheat. Two hole sew-through. Medium.

Ram. Low relief. Rimmed. Metal shank. Medium.

Strawberry. Two hole sew-through. Medium.

Telescope. Two hole sew-

through. Medium. Thistle in low relief. Ornate border. Large. Metal shank.

“Miltaides”. Warrior head.

Large.

Parasol in a gloved head. Medium.

Two hole sew-through.

Snake coiled around a birdbath. Medium.

Sporting button. Wolf head. Medium.

Architecture. Windmill. Multiple finishes, bright to

matte. Medium.

“Philomel and Progne.” Fable button. Scarce. Large.

Perhaps the holy grail of horn buttons, here is the very rare fable button “The Mice in Council.” Large.

“Once upon a time, the mice being sadly distressed by the persecution of the Cat, resolved to call a meeting, to decide upon the best means of getting rid of this continual annoyance. Many plans were discussed and rejected; at last a young Mouse got up and proposed that a Bell should be hung round the Cat’s neck, that they might for the future always have notice of her coming, and so be able to escape. This Proposition was hailed with the greatest applause, and was agreed to unanimously. Upon which an old Mouse, who had sat silent all the while, got up and said that he considered the contrivance most ingenious, and that it would, no doubt, be quite successful; but he had only one short question to put, namely, which of them it was who would Bell the Cat? It is one thing to propose, another to execute.” From Aesop’s Fables

HORN BUTTONS 101 Page 10 By Claudia Chalmers WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6 Issue 2 (Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin)

Molded Natural Colors – Pictorial

Transportation.

Vintage auto. Large. Squirrel on a branch.

Very light colored horn. Medium.

Charming elephant head on darker natural horn.

Medium.

Whippet head. Fluted molded border. Brown natural horn

color. Large.

Two rabbits “playing”.

Light natural horn. Medium.

Boar’s head sporting button. Medium.

Steeple chase design. Very light horn. Small.

Self-shanked.

Spinning wheel molded in concave disc shape. Shallow,

subtle design. Medium.

British Army,

General Service. Medium.

Sporting button with hound design. Darker natural horn.

Medium.

Basket of flowers in very dark natural horn. Medium.

Hand-incised floral design (not molded) in processed natural

horn.

Molded and Dyed Green and Red - Pictorials

Green horn sporting button

with bear head design. Medium.

Cat head in green horn. Medium.

Running goose in green horn. Medium.

Collection of sea shells in red horn. Medium

HORN BUTTONS 101 Page 11 By Claudia Chalmers WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6 Issue 2 (Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin)

Hunting dogs on sporting

button. Medium. Seven point stag sporting

button. Medium. Horse head sporting button.

Medium. Pansy in red horn. Medium.

Fox head sporting button with fluted molded border.

Ornately molded insect on rose design. Small.

Impression Inlay

These impression inlays were formed by placing hard substances in the heated, plastic horn.

Shell feathers inlaid in mottled horn. Small.

Shell and white metal mosquito inlaid in horn. Self

shank. Also available in oval shape and with inlaid tortoise veneer over horn.

Small.

Dyed pearl and brass inlaid in thin sheet of transparent horn which was then veneered to a

dark horn base. Medium.

Shell and metal wire inlay in horn. Medium.

White metal, brass, and dyed shell in horn. Self shank. Small.

White metal art deco bird with brass and pearl

ornamentation inlaid in natural colored horn. Small.

Art nouveau style white metal stag inlaid in natural colored

horn.

Two colors of dyed horn and metal inlaid in natural horn

base. Small.

HORN BUTTONS 101 Page 12 By Claudia Chalmers WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6 Issue 2 (Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin)

Brass floral design inlaid in brown horn.

Medium.

White metal floral design in green dyed horn.

Medium.

Brass bird flying over white metal flowers with geometric

border in red dyed horn. Deep convex shape. Medium.

Natural horn with inlaid dyed shell. Self shank.

Medium. Lozenge shape.

White metal fan in dark horn.

Self shank. Small. White metal stag in dyed

black horn. White metal pieces inlaid as a seven point star shape. Large.

White metal stork in black dyed horn. Small.

Dyed shell in oval shaped brown horn.

Small.

These two Cupids are inlaid in natural horn. The left is brass, and the right is white metal.

Subtle differences in the Cupid designs. Both are Medium.

Irregular shaped abalone inlaid in red dyed horn

whistle. Small.

Shapes Nineteenth century horn buttons with contour and linear shapes are quite scarce and are coveted by collectors.

Oval shaped Cupid readying

his bow. Large. Crossed arrows on a modified

square shape. Medium. Realistic shoed hoof shape.

Medium. Realistic head. Quite scarce.

Small. Metal shank.

HORN BUTTONS 101 Page 13 By Claudia Chalmers WRBA 2008, Territorial News, Volume 6 Issue 2 (Reprinted from the November 2007 Minnesota Button Bulletin)

Tortoise Shell “They often exhibit beautiful mottling of light and dark brown coloring and take a higher polish than horn” (NBS Classification, 2008).

Molded processed tortoise. Large. .

Main building of the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. Silver inlaid in tortoise. Large. Rare.

Polished tortoise with paste embellishment. Oval. Large.

Unprocessed tortoise shell formed

to hold an shell operculum embellishment. Medium

Brass and silver birds inlaid in convex tortoise.

Medium.

Gold paint design on tortoise. Medium.

Ornately etched tortoise. Medium.

Ground and Molded Horn “Buttons labeled ‘Buffalo Horn’ on original cards with patent dates between 1871-1884 are made of ground horn. We can find surface layers of colored horn, usually red, pink, blue, green, tan, brown, light and dark gray or black, sometimes in solid color but more often in patterns, splotches, stripes, swirls, etc., with flecks of tinsel, pearl chips or other bits of contrasting material. Some have metal embedded around the shank holes. There are similar looking composition buttons” (NBS Classification, 2008).

The hot needle testing of over thirty likely buttons revealed these four to be “ground and molded” horn.

Hot needle testing is probably the only way for a collector to accurately separate these buttons from composition buttons.

Resources: Howells, Jocelyn. Button Materials A-Z Identification Guide. Portland, Oregon: JossButtons, 2006. Lester and Hughes. The Big Book of Buttons, 1981. National Button Society Classification for 2008.

Thanks to Phyllis Paule, Merry Jo Thoele, Becky Lyon, Cathy Mayer, and Deb Hanson for allowing the author to photograph their buttons and/or helping with horn button identifications.